FRONT PILLAR CONSTRUCTION HAVING REINFORCEMENT MEMBER FOR VEHICLE FRAME

摘要

A front pillar construction on a vehicle frame includes a pillar inner member having pillar inner member mating flanges and a pillar outer member having pillar outer member mating flanges welded to the pillar inner member mating flanges to form a front pillar member with a hollow construction. The front pillar construction further includes an angled reinforcement member fixedly secured to the pillar member at a location arranged to break a wheel of the vehicle disposed immediately forward of the pillar member during small overlap frontal crashes wherein the wheel is forced rearward toward the pillar member.

主权项

1. A vehicle frame, comprising:
a pillar member disposed rearward of a wheel; and a reinforcement member fixedly secured to the pillar member at a location arranged to break the wheel during small overlap frontal crashes wherein the wheel is forced rearward toward the pillar member, wherein the reinforcement member is has a wedge shape for breaking the wheel and directing a laterally outward portion of the wheel laterally outward away from the pillar member.